Ian McCall confident new Partick Thistle loan signing Juan Alegria will handle physicality of Scottish Championship ahead of Arbroath clash

Ian McCall is confident Juan Alegria will adjust to the demands of the Scottish Championship with the minimum of fuss after the Colombian joined the Firhill club on loan for the remainder of the campaign.

The 19-year-old striker signed for Rangers from FC Honka in Finland last summer and has featured for the club’s B team in the Lowland League so far this season.

Following the departure of Zak Rudden in the January window, the Jags boss was eager to strengthen his attacking options ahead of a packed fixture schedule over the coming weeks.

McCall believes his blossoming relationship with Ibrox director of football Ross Wilson helped push the deal over the line and he has tipped Alegria to contribute heavily to their bid for back-to-back promotions.

He said: “We need someone who can start games or have an impact coming on and I’ve watched the boys a few times. I know Rangers have got high hopes for him.

“The main thing is as a 19-year-old, your one worry about taking a young player is the physicality of it (Championship), but that’s the one part of this boy I’ve got no problem with. He’ll handle it psychically for certain.

“He’s played in the Finnish top-flight. Without being disrespectful to the boy, he’ll come up against better players in this division but he’s definitely got something, there’s no doubt about it.

“He’s got loads of work to do to become a Rangers No.9 but I think there’s high hopes for him.

“I think (Rangers coach, Roy Makaay) does a lot of work on him, he was a very good striker himself and we’ll help the boy out in that regard.

“But he does naturally take up really good positions to score a goal from, which is good. It’s another option now, so we’ve got three strikers now.

“Sometimes we play with one, sometimes we play with two and that should see us through now for the remaining games.”

Alegria became the third Rangers player to join Thistle on loan this term following the additions of Lewis Mayo and Andy Firth as he prepares to make his debut against league leaders Arbroath tonight.

McCall added: “It will help (to settle) and it also helps that he knows Lewis Mayo, who was exceptional again on Saturday.

“It helps that I have a relationship with Rangers though it is with the director of football now rather than the manager and assistant.

“All these things help and I’m sure he will settle in no problem. He will go straight into the squad for the Arbroath game.”

McCall confirmed there wasn’t a pressing need to shake-up his strike force as he looked ahead to this evening’s trip to Gayfield Park.

He stated: “We looked at the overall picture – we’ve scored one less goal than Arbroath and played three games less, so if we score a couple of goals then we’ll be the top scorers in the division.

“It obviously isn’t an overriding issue but Saturday was a game of few chances. Brian (Graham) had a couple of half-decent ones but in the games before we missed some good chances.

“I’ve not been unhappy with any of the results apart from the Morton game. The Raith Rovers game would have been a great point had we beaten Morton.

“It is a big challenge (against Arbroath) because they have good footballers. If we win then we go third and we have games in hand on them.

“It is going to be so topsy turvy from now until the end of the season.”

Alegria’s arrival at the Glasgow club allowed centre-forward Ross MacIver to join Alloa Athletic on loan in search of regular action and McCall reckons the experience will prove vital for the ex-Motherwell youngster.

He admitted: “Ross has been desperate to go out on loan and this will be a great move for him. He’s a great boy, honest as the day is long.

“He’s not had a lot of game time but I had a chat with him. In the games he’s come on and the few that he’s started, he’s done well in most of them.

“He set up the winner against Raith Rovers with a great leap at the back post for (Kyle) Turner to score in injury-time, but he’s had three or four decent chances to score a goal.

“Had he taken them that might have changed the complexion of our thoughts, but in training he’s a good finisher, so he can go out there and hopefully he can get a few goals.

“If it helps my old friend out, Brian Rice, and helps the player out then I’ll be very happy.”